Velocipede



(No Model.)

J. M. MARLIN.

VELOGIPEDB. No. 369,541. Patented Sept. 6, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICEQ JOHN M. MARLIN, on NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

VELOCIPEDE.

ESPECIPICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 369,541, dated September 6, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. MARLIN, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Velocipedes, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to velocipedes; and it consists of certain new and useful improvements in the construction and combination of the various parts thereof, substantially as described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a rear elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the steering-bar and its fork and handle bar and the front or steering wheel of a tricycle constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the dotted line so a: of Fig. 2.

The variety of velocipede to which 'my improvements are shown to be applied is whatis commonly known as a straight-steering tricycle-that is, onein which the steering-wheel is guided by a steering-rod having bicycle handles at the upper end and a fork carrying the steering-wheel at the lower end. As this type of machine is well known, I have shown only such parts thereof as are necessary to understand my invention.

W is the rim of the steering-wheel, which is held in the fork w of the steering-bar. This bar is made of two tubular sections, 10' w, the

upper one of which slides up and down in the lower one to raise or lower the handle-ban.

To the part w isattached the sleeve 20, in which it turns (the latter being connected by the bar 10* to the frame of the machine) by means of the collars 'w 10 above and below the sleeve. The handle-bar H is attached to the upper section, 20 of the steering-bar, passing through a collar in the usual manner. The upper end of the portion 20 of the steering-bar is split longitudinally through one side, and upon each side of the seam ears w 10 project outward laterally, through which a screw, 20 is passed horizontally to clamp them together and close the upper end of the tubular section 10 around the section 20 at any desired point to which they may be moved out or in. The

thread of the screw engages with a corresponding one in the ear w and slides freely through the hole in 10. These parts are of the ordinary construction; and the object of my present improvement is to carry the brake-rod down from the handles H through the center of the steering-bar, and to make its length readily adjustable to correspond with any alterations in the length of the steering-bar. To accomplish this I make the brake-rod in two parts, 6 e. The lower section, 6, which 'is attached to the brake B, is made tubular and has an internally-threaded nut, 11,, secured solidly in its upper end, and it slides up and down freely in the lower section, to, of the handlebar. The upper section, 6 of the brake-rod is a rod provided at its lower end with a screw-thread to fit the nut a, and as it is screwed into the same it descends within the lower section. per section projects above the handle-bar, through which it passes, and is provided at that end with a fork or yoke, 6 with the pin 0* passed through the upper part of it, form ing a loop. Below the yoke 6 and between the handle-bar and it, is placed the coiled spring 6" around the brake-rod to hold the latter up. On the handlebar H a sleeve, 6, is attached, which carries a short arm slotted at the outer end in the direction of the handlebar to receive the brake-lever H in its slot,

and having the pivot c passing through its slotted part and the brake-lever transversely, to serve as a fulcrum for thelatter. The outer end of the brake-lever is provided with a handle, and its inner end passes through the yoke e and under the pin 6. As the handle of the brake-1ever is in a convenient position to the hand of the rider which grasps the handle on the end of the handle-bar, the brake-lever can be grasped and drawn upward toward the handle-bar at that end. This willdepress the opposite end of the lever and push thebrakerod downward upon the wheel W, compressing the spring 6 When the brake-lever is released, the spring raises the brakerod and withdraws the brake.

In case the steering-bar is to be lengthened or shortened, the screw 20 is loosened and the handle-bar and section 63 0f the brake-rod, and section w of the steering-bar are all revolved around in the proper direction to screw up or unscrew the brakerod until it reaches the The upper end of this up:

proper length, when the nut w is again set up to secure the sections of the steering-bar together.

The advantages of my construction are that it incloses the brake-rod within the steeringbar, and at the same time provides for their simultaneous extension or shortening, thus protecting the brake-rod and preserving the same position of its lever with relation to the handle-bar under all circumstances, and making a neat and strong construction of the parts. The brake-rod and steering-bar can be used together on different patterns of machines, as

it is not necessary that the brake should be connected directly to the lower end of section 6 of the rod, for an intermediate connection of levers between it and thebrake may be employed,such as are in use on brake-rods attached to the outside of the steering-bar.

What I claim as new and of my invention 1s- 1. The combination of the'extensible steerlng-bar made of two tubular telescoping sections provided with clamping mechanism,sub-

stantiall y as described, arranged to secure them together at any desired position,and the brake-rod formed of two sections, e e, extending through the tubular steering bar and united by screw-coupling, and arranged to be lengthenedv or shortened simultaneously with the steering-bar, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the extensible steering-bar made of two tubular telescoping sections provided with clamping mechanism,substantially as described, arranged to secure them together in any desired position, the brake-rod, formed of two sections, 6' eflextending through the tubular steering bar and united by screw-coupling and arranged to be lengthened or shortened simultaneously with the steering-bar, the lever H,connected to the brake-rod at its upper end, and the brake B, connected to it at its lower end, substantially as described.

' JOHN M. MARLIN.

Witnesses:

O. F. DEMMER, J. LAWLOR. 

